The combined operation of vehicles and mobile devices creates many concerns and challenges. Driving a vehicle while operating a mobile device creates hazardous and unsafe conditions for the driver, for their passengers, and for the public. Even “hands-free” modes where the driver does not physically interact with the mobile device have, in some research, been shown to create distracted driving situations. Although many people are aware of the negatives of using a mobile device while driving, various psychological, societal, and behavioral factors play into continued operation of mobile devices while driving, even in jurisdictions where the operation of hand-held mobile devices while driving has been outlawed.
Given that individual users require more than mere willpower to discontinue the usage of their mobile devices while driving, technical solutions have been proposed to identify situations in which a mobile device is being operated within a moving vehicle. Mobile devices such as smartphones, personal digital assistants, tablet computers, and the like, may include movement sensors, such as an accelerometer, gyroscope, speedometer, and/or Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, capable of detecting movement. Previously proposed solutions largely have involved processing accelerometer data from the accelerometer onboard the mobile device and/or data from a geolocation service (e.g., GPS). From this data, excessive movement or velocity may indicate the mobile device is being operated in a vehicle, and functionality of the mobile device may be disabled or notifications may be presented to the user warning them to discontinue operation of the mobile device while the vehicle is in motion. As may be expected, these solutions have yet to be widely implemented, because they do not address a side consideration of the permissible use of a mobile device by a non-driver. In other words, these proposed solutions cut off or restrict usage by passengers, who should be free to operate a mobile device within the vehicle without constant reminders or limited functionality.
Additionally, in some situations, it may be advantageous or beneficial to the vehicular occupants to enable full operation of the mobile device. As discussed above, a passenger may be operating the mobile device, and repeated notifications may be annoying. As another example, a user may be using a mobile device as a navigational aid, and the disabling of functionality may cause more harm than good as the user may become distracted if their route guidance is suspended or terminated.
Separately, many vehicles include sophisticated sensors and advanced internal computer systems designed to monitor and control vehicle operations and driving functions. Vehicle-based computer systems, such as on-board diagnostics (OBD) systems and telematics devices, may be used in automobiles and other vehicles, and may be capable of collecting various driving data and vehicle sensor data. For example, OBD systems may receive information from the vehicle's on-board computers and sensors in order to monitor a wide variety of information relating to the vehicle systems, such as engine RPM, emissions control, vehicle speed, throttle position, acceleration and braking rates, use of driver controls, etc. Vehicles may also include Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers and devices installed within or operating at the vehicle configured to collect vehicle location and time data.